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Marijuana

What do you all think about it? I mean in general, your stance on drugs, if you smoke/ reasons you don't, etc. I really don't know what made me think of it, I just would like to know other peoples opinons of it. I was thinking of making it a pole, but I don't know how that would have worked out.

ur right :( sorry to each his own...i dunno i just think the whole reason for legalizing weed is not right and i am disgusted with how many of my friends walk around with medical marijuana licenses that don't need to smoke for medical reasons... i hate that a doctor would sell themselves out like that i think it's so unethical!

Then again, it might be fairly easy to get vicodin or antidepressants too.

Because with someone exhibiting drug-seeking behaviour, especially in the case of privatised healthcare, the headache of denying them what they want is generally not worth it. And if someone makes him/herself sick on prescription drugs, they're paying for that, too.

And I can attest to the ease of obtaining antidepressants, even in a place with socialised healthcare - I basically walked in, told my doctor 'This is what the last guy prescribed, this is the dose, can has pills please?' and walked out with a couple hundred capsules of Prozac to take away to school.

My support of marijuana legalisation is pretty much as follows:-Is it worse, healthwise, than 'legal' highs like tobacco and alcohol? No.-Is it as addictive as caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol? Not physically. Though psychological addiction is definitely real and definitely hard to break, it's not going to kill anyone.-Is it commonly a factor in violent crime, like alcohol or other illicit drugs? No.-Could it be a good source of government income if legalised and taxed to death? You bet.

I myself don't smoke pot because... smoking just isn't too exciting for me, and because pot smoke gives me a headache. But provided one uses marijuana responsibly, I definitely think it is less harmful than alchohol. And since I don't support a prohibition of alcohol (preferring to put a little faith in an individual's common sense and to respect their free will), it would be hypocritical to oppose legalisation of marijuana.

I don't have a strong stance on this one. I do see why it could be helpful for some medical reasons, such as Gout Disease. At the same time, I have seen it completely take over recreational users to the point that they are smoking every chance they get. In moderation, I don't see a problem with it, as long as you're responsible with it and know how you typically react.

i am glad we r discussing this because i do see that it is kinda hypocritical (some of narcissus points) that i can walk into the doctors office and get mind altering prescriptions easily... it doesn't ever solve the problem but it helps the problem... i just see personally what smoking weed does to people though prescription drugs alter people as well... so i dunno

For over 2 years, I was taking (as per physician's instructions) a combination of prescriptions for pain management that when combined, the body synthesizes into heroin at least daily, sometimes four or more times a day. (I really believe the only reason my body is holding together as well as it has is due to my nearly veg*n lifestyle.) Now that I use marijuana medicinally, I only need to ingest it 1-3 times a week and need no more than 4 advil a day.

So from my stance, 1-3 hits/brownies a week vs daily heroin usage, it seems like a no brainer.

i am glad we r discussing this because i do see that it is kinda hypocritical (some of narcissus points) that i can walk into the doctors office and get mind altering prescriptions easily... it doesn't ever solve the problem but it helps the problem... i just see personally what smoking weed does to people though prescription drugs alter people as well... so i dunno

yeah it's so true. My mom provides a very good example of that. I can't tell you how many prescriptions she's on...and do you think she needs to be on 10 different kinds when she's generally in decent health? Man, the doctors LOVE to hand that shit out...

I've read things...(and I don't know how accurate it is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's very true) that pharmaceutical companies will sponsor those going to school to be doctors...pay for their schooling/hand out scholarships, etc... so then you gotta wonder, what's in it for them??

like I said though, I don't know how accurate that is.

And as for altering people...my mom was at a point of being so drugged up on her prescriptions, she was just like a zombie... you couldn't squeeze an ounce of emotion out of her face... and she seemed to have no idea what was going on around her half the time. It was really hard for me to see...but thankfully she's trying to get off some of them now.

My mom isn't really this way by choice... she just trusts doctors more than she should. And she still thinks that there is a magic pill to cure everything...and tends to overlook the fact that ALL of these pills/drugs come at a cost...

This is probably a big part of why I don't trust doctors and have such an aversion to them... and why I take matters into my own hands. Granted, I wouldn't just go along with everything a doctor tells me the way my mom does... but I question not only how much do they really know about these drugs when they're handing them out like candy as well as how much do they really know about the diseases/conditions themselves...but also...what are their motives?

My ex-boyfriend too... ended up in the hospital from a car accident. They were trying to push all these opiate-based pain killers on him, left and right. He was getting upset, he kept refusing when he didn't feel he needed them, and they'd try to get him to take them anyway. He was a recovering heroin addict, and was trying to stay away from opiate based ANYTHING... and the doctors/nurses didn't seem to bat an eye and give two shits and just kept pushing it on him. He started throwing up from the medication everytime he took it...

I guess for me, to witness these things... really opened my eyes to how ridiculous it is that pot for medical purposes is an issue at all. When I've seen the effects of these perfectly legal prescription drugs.

In veterinary school thus far, I haven't heard of any scholarships from pharm companies (in fact, I've only heard of one scholarship, period), but we do get tons of free stuff from such companies. We get free meds for our pets during school, free food from some pet food companies, lunch talks (with free lunch) by some pharm/vaccine companies. During our orientation week alone, we got 3 pens, 1 backpack, and 1 pair of scrubs (with "heartgard" and "frontline" ALL OVER IT). Even part of our orientation program (two days of "team building") was sponsored by a major pet food company, and at the end of those two days, the main speaker went on about how it's only good medicine for us to prescribe all our patients medicinal pet food.We kind of roll our eyes at it, but it's obviously there because the companies seem to think that it's effective in some way. If medical marijuana were legalized nationally in the U.S., wouldn't the pharm companies be selling it too? They'd probably sell it with their own "propriety" component to make it unique and patentable. Or Monsanto might look into GMing it. Who knows.And if it were legalized for recreational use, wouldn't we have the same issue of the gigantic tobacco companies but for pot? I can see the point that it's far less harmful that many new prescriptions or novel drugs, but if legalization succeeds, it might no longer be a matter of not supporting big pharm.

In veterinary school thus far, I haven't heard of any scholarships from pharm companies (in fact, I've only heard of one scholarship, period), but we do get tons of free stuff from such companies. We get free meds for our pets during school, free food from some pet food companies, lunch talks (with free lunch) by some pharm/vaccine companies. During our orientation week alone, we got 3 pens, 1 backpack, and 1 pair of scrubs (with "heartgard" and "frontline" ALL OVER IT). Even part of our orientation program (two days of "team building") was sponsored by a major pet food company, and at the end of those two days, the main speaker went on about how it's only good medicine for us to prescribe all our patients medicinal pet food.We kind of roll our eyes at it, but it's obviously there because the companies seem to think that it's effective in some way. If medical marijuana were legalized nationally in the U.S., wouldn't the pharm companies be selling it too? They'd probably sell it with their own "propriety" component to make it unique and patentable. Or Monsanto might look into GMing it. Who knows.And if it were legalized for recreational use, wouldn't we have the same issue of the gigantic tobacco companies but for pot? I can see the point that it's far less harmful that many new prescriptions or novel drugs, but if legalization succeeds, it might no longer be a matter of not supporting big pharm.

Yeah like I said, I don't really know how accurate that was. Either way pharm companies make me want to puke.

Part of me isn't sure whether I'd like to see it legalized, even though I smoke... partially because I would worry about pharm companies getting their hands on it, or if it were for recreational use, as well, dealing with additives and god knows what being thrown into it, the way cigarettes ended up.

*shivers* Not sure I want the government, or big corporations having anything to do with my weed...

The prohibition of marijuana is a joke. I am not a user but I believe strongly in the free will of every individual, especially with a herb that is substantially less harmful than alcohol which is readily available on every street corner. No one has the right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my body.

Wow, I really can't believe this thread is still getting responses and I'm glad some other people dropped out of the discussion too, lol.

I don't think it ever will be legalized just because the government would have to explain why something that was so bad for so long is now okay and why all the propoganda against it is suddenly not the 'truth'. I think medically is the only way it would be legal in any way. Plus I think even with the opportunity to be an economic benefit to the country, the ant-drug people has the politicians in their pocket. Money talks to politicians far better than their constituents. Plus I don't know how much it would really be worth in terms of legal, over the counter( or whatever) sales (I don't know how quite to put it but how much can be made a year selling it legally) because of it being legal and not black market, I would think that it would be cheaper because people involved won't have to be charging to cover the cost of all the people participating in the manufacturing of cannabis for sale plus legal fees, money lost for time in jail, and other fees associated with it being illegal, the main one the fact alone that it's illegal.

Another point to this is how it would effect *or affect* (whatever)the country as far as taxes go. If marijuana was legalized the cost for the families of those being arrested and/ or prosecuted possibly being thown out of their economic situation into a worse one leaving them to maybe have to be on some sort of government assistance would not be an issue. That means taxes for that particular reason would be a little less (I'm only talking about pot here, I know this can happen with any type of conviction and other situations and different reasons). Of course, someone losing their job because they failed a drug test can lead to poverty or lower economic status as well.

Also, think about how less money the police departments, courts and jails would make if they didn't have all the bails/ repossessions/ fines of cannabis to bank on. Jails would lose taxpayers money because of how fewer people they would have to be feeding/ housing because possession/ manufacuturing and sale wouldn't be illegal and people wouldn't be getting arrested and/ or convicted. And less money for them can mean less money to pay employees and it would look bad if the U.S. government sells out its law enforcement for a bunch of stoners. Never mind the fact that we wouldn't have so many people in prison for non-violent crimes and that we will be eliminating a whole class of criminals.

And I don't know if use of cannabis would go up because people won't have to worry about getting arrested now or stay the same because if one wasn't smoking pot before it was legal how likely are they to just randomly start just for that reason.

I wish it would become legal so that the price of hemp milk would go down, my son loves hemp milk but it is so darn expensive that I don't like to buy it for him.

Hemp has so many uses other than getting high, it being illegal is a joke! I don't smoke, drink, do any drugs even prescription, and if "dope" was legal I still wouldn't smoke it. I am a "goodie-too-shoe" but hemp can be used to make clothing, rope, milk etc. It is a wonderful plant!

I don't think the legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug would impact the price of hemp products very drastically, although it may alter the perception surrounding them. Industrial, non-narcotic hemp is already a very large biomass crop throughout the world and is growing rapidly - this is what most hemp products are made from, likely including the hemp milk your son enjoys.

As for my opinion of the drug? I smoked a lot of it in my early 20's - in fact it is still my preferred method of intoxication if I'm choosing to spend my evening that way. This is for the simple fact that I enjoy the high, and in a few hours, I'm ready to function 100% normally again, no hangover or other ill effects. That being said, I haven't smoked in months and only do when I'm back visiting friends in Toronto - it's just not part of my life any more.

Lastly, to touch on the whole motivation issue, there was a good article written recently about just that, I think it's worthwhile reading:

I read that article a little while ago and I still say the motivation thing depends on the person. I am very motivated and have very high expectations of myself. I chose to take a break from school because I know I can't work and have time to study to get good grades, so I'm working a second job to save up as much as I can to focus on school. My ultimate goal is to be a nurse and I want to be specialized in as many different areas as I can be and I even entertain the idea of being a doctor...sometimes. I am going to do everything I need to do to make sure this happens and pot does not make me less motivated at all because I know I want a good life for myself

I say Live and let live! I don't partake, mostly because I don't like ANY smoke in my lungs. I would also hope it is done with some sort of responsibility, as long as it has no effects on me or my family, or innocent children, do what ever drug you want. I live in PA and just got a small reprieve from cigarettes when going out to eat and such as they recently passed the Clean Air Act. So, I would not want to smell pot while eating or even just out with friends.